SINCE 1981
VOLUME 54
ISSUE 6
September 27 -October 4, 2016
UTSA UTSA will be offering a master’s degree program in geoinformatics in the Fall 2017 semester. Five different departments will be overseeing the interdisciplinary program, which focuses on processing large amount of geographic data and satellite-collected remote-sensing data.
Texas This weekend at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, TX Attorney General Dan Patrick lambasted transgender bathrooms, Black Lives Matter protesters and criticized public state universities for their use of research funds and the percentage of tuition payments schools set aside to help needier students afford college. On how universities can spend research money, Patrick stated, “I don’t want to pay an English professor with research dollars, and give them half a semester off, to write a book about the love life of William Shakespeare that no one cares about and no
”
one is going to read.
U.S.
Jury selection has begun for the trial of Dylan Roof, the 22 year old charged with murdering nine people in a black church in Charleston, S.C. last year. Over 3,000 potential jurors are being sifted through in assisting the decisions on 33 federal charges against Roof, who will also face a separate state trial.
World Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Marxist Revolutionary Armed Forces of America (FARC) leader Rodrigo Londoño formally ended the country’s 52 yearlong civil war through a peace treaty. The treaty requires FARC members to surrender their weapons and participate in reintegration programs.
Science Researchers from Princeton University have found that atmospheric oxygen levels have dropped 0.7 percent in the last 80,000 years after analyzing trapped air bubbles in ice cores around Antarctica and Greenland. Of this oxygen, 0.1 percent has been lost in the last 100 years.
Photo courtesy of Omar Akram, MSA
MSA reaches out to combat Islamophobia Tania Siddiqi Staff Writer
@ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com “I try not to wear Muslim Student Association (MS) T-shirts in public because I don’t want someone to single me out, which has happened to me before,” said Omar Akram, a UTSA student majoring in biology. Quantifying “Islamophobia” is a tall order. The FBI’s 2014 Uniform Crime Report found 1,140 instances of “anti-religious hate crimes,” and out of that number, 16.1 percent of cases were considered “anti-Islamic” or “anti-Muslim.” Statistics like this imply a climate in which Islamophobia is prevalent; however, a counting up of crimes can miss the role that noncriminal attitudes and beliefs also play in the qualitative development of a xenophobic and Islamophobic culture A 2016 Republican presidential hopeful, Ben Carson, said he believed Islam was inconsistent with the values and principles of the United States, charging that the faith is “inconsistent with the Constitution.” Donald Trump Jr., son of the GOP nominee, recently tweeted a photo comparing refugees, many of them Arab and Muslim, to poisoned skittles in a bowl. Islamophobia isn’t exclusive to the Republican Party. Democrats recently staged a sit-in while pursuing legislation calling for stricter background checks before gun purchases and a ban on assault weapons, the focus of their protest coalescing around a demand to bar people who have been placed on the “terror watchlist.” Critics such as Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, assistant professor of African American studies at Princeton University, called the watchlist a politicized “Arab and Muslim database” because the “federal government has already admitted that
almost half of the people on the list have no connection to terrorism at all.” For Taylor, many of these individuals are profiled as “enemies of state” on the assumption that they’re Arab or Muslim. In Florida and Nevada, hate-crime chargesare pending against men who placed bacon on mosque doors. On Eid-Al-Adha, a holiday celebrated by Muslims around the world, the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce was set on fire. In August of this year, the imam of Al-Furqan Jame Masjid was shot and killed in what many believe but has not yet been proven to be a hate crime. Members of UTSA’s Muslim community have said they too can feel this anti-Islamic sentiment. “As much as I would like to be upfront about who I am, I still worry a lot about resembling what some prejudiced people may believe a typical Muslim looks like,” Akram said. “I worry about whether growing a beard, a common practice among Muslim men, might hurt my chances at getting a job due to employers who secretly hold biased views against Muslims. I make sure not to stop in certain cities when I drive back home
women and their children were assaulted in Brooklyn, N.Y. The perpetrator pushed a stroller carrying the children to the ground and attempted to remove the hijab of one of the women. “Living as a Muslim woman becomes scarier and scarier with every attack,” says Amina, a psychology student at UTSA. “I wear hijab, I cover my body, and anyone who sees me knows I am a Muslim.” The Georgetown University “Bridge” initiative published a special report entitled “When Islamophobia Turns Violent: The 2016 Presidential Elections” that shows the connection between terrorist attacks and the uptick in Islamophobia that Amina is worried about. The report found AntiMuslim violence remained significantly higher in 2015 than before 9/11, with American Muslims approximately six to nine times more likely to suffer such attacks. Attitudes about Islam in the U.S. have followed a negative trend over the last 15 years. Amina shared a memory of when she was verbally harassed. “I was walking through
“As
much as I would like to be upfront about who I am, I still worry about resembling what some prejudiced people may believe a typical Muslim looks like”
Omar Akram, biology student to Dallas because of how little diversity those towns have, which increases my chance of sticking out. I wish I could go anywhere and appear however I would like, but that’s just not something that many Muslims, especially of Arab and Asian descent, can safely do.” Islamophobia also impacts the lives of Muslim women, particularly those who wear a hijab. This month, two Muslim
the parking lot, texting on my phone, and all of a sudden, I hear someone say, ‘The thing on your head is degrading to women in America.’ It took me a couple of seconds to process what this person was saying,” she said. “When I looked up, there was this man, sitting in a car, looking directly at me. I was caught completely off guard. I was so confused as to how I’m degrading women in America.”
AminaI walked to her car and called my dad, crying. “It was the first time that anyone had made such a rude comment to me in the seven or eight years of wearing hijab. I was truly shaken by what this one person had said,” she explained. Despite this, she went on to say, “I’m not going to change the way I live. I’m going to keep living my life the way I choose to.” This year, the Muslim Students Association (MSA) has proposed a way to address anti-Muslim sentiment and include members of the UTSA community. Kareem Salama, President of the MSA, said, “We have
been trying to organize a panel that’s open to faculty members and religious leaders across San Antonio. We’ve gotten UTSA involved through the College of Education.” “We would like to spend time talking about the positives of Islam,” he said. “Once people get to see us as a student population, in terms of how we interact with people and the characteristics that we try to embody, they will begin to understand that we’re (students) just like them.”
National Voter Registration Day hits UTSA Adriene Goodwin News Assistant
@hey_adreezy news@paisano-online.com There are seven more weeks until Election Day. Despite the ever-growing election fatigue, various efforts across the state and at UTSA are striving to build a bridge between constituents and political participation. The Rowdy Vote Coalition, a self-described “voter-participation coalition including several UTSA organizations,” will be tabling and registering voters on National Voter Registration Day (NVRD), Tuesday Sept. 27. The holiday was established in 2012 after 6 million people did not participate in the election because of registration difficulties, confusion or misinformation about registration deadlines. Bipartisan support of the holiday has helped it gain nationwide recognition as a valuable tool for civic engagement. The unity across partisan lines is evident in the successful efforts of Rowdy Vote to bring together organizations of differing views for the common goal of voter registration and
participation on Sept. 27. Organizations affiliated with Rowdy Vote include the Student Government Association (SGA), Texas Freedom Network, Secular Student Alliance (SSA), Spectrum, Black Lives Matter, UTSA Center for Civic Engagement and Students for the Right to Life. A comprehensive list of organizations affiliated with Rowdy Vote can be found on their Facebook page. Rae Martinez is one of the founding members of Rowdy Vote and a field organizer covering San Antonio and San Marcos for the Texas Freedom Network. A liberal arts sophomore at the Alamo Colleges, Martinez represents how Rowdy Vote involves college students and like-minded young people across the city. “We’ll have events where each organization will bring their own table supplies and table as their organization, (but) together as a coalition which is really cool,” said Martinez about Rowdy Vote. “Other times we’ll have unmarked tables, and we’ll all come together to volunteer. That’s how we’ll be doing it for Voter Registration Day.” See NVRD, page 2
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NEWS
September 27- October 4 , 2016
National Voter Registration Day at UTSA continued from page 1
Martinez explained that Rowdy Vote will set up five different stations for tabling on NVRD. Those stations will be outside the Humanities Building, the Business Building, in the Sombrilla and the Paseo. Rowdy Vote will also be present on the Downtown Campus for voter registration. SGA Vice President Frankie Trynosky noted that shuttle stops will also have registration stations. For now, the primary goal of Rowdy Vote is to have every student organization and club affiliated with the coalition. “We are excited to work with and talk to absolutely anybody, as these issues affect all of us,” said President of Students for the Right to Life Sean Gillen on his grop’s participation with NVRD. With regard to the impact of Rowdy Vote’s vision, Gillen stated, “I do believe that students seeing organizations of different backgrounds and different ideologies uniting to promote voter turnout will have a huge impact and get a lot more people involved.” Martinez felt that prioritizing affiliation between all student organizations could better combat any apprehension or apathy on the part of students who may struggle with the voting process. “An obstacle to voting might not be knowing when or where they can vote,” she said regarding challenges for student voters. This fall semester alone has provided several opportunities for young
people to learn more about the voter registration process. MOVE SA recently launched their 2016 Voter Guide, and the UTSA Department of Political Science and Geography held an event titled “Voter ID Laws and the Constitution” in preparation for Constitution Day (which was Friday, Sept. 16). The event presented both sides of the debate on whether or not Texas voter ID laws are constitutional. Opponents of the law are concerned that ethnic minorities are the most disenfranchised by voter ID laws. This summer, Texas was found to be in violation of the Voting Rights Act. Currently, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed an appeal with the United States Supreme Court to argue that Texas’ voting laws do not discriminate against Hispanics and African Americans. A temporary solution offered by the state in response to the Voting Rights Act violation is a Texas Election Identification Card (EIC). According to the Texas Department of Public Safety website, one can apply for an EIC free of charge if able to provide documentation that verifies U.S. citizenship, one’s identity, age and eligibility to vote in Texas. Often lost in this debate is how the laws can make voting or registering to vote confusing or complicated for college students. Understanding the do’s and don’ts of voting early or on Election Day, precincts and which address to register
under can be a daunting task for young or first-time voters. While the EIC might seem like a viable solution to perceived challenges, individuals like Martinez feel it’s only a temporary fix. “There are still hoops to jump through,” said Martinez. “It’s a little inaccessible,” particularly for students who may not have reliable forms of transportation or cannot provide the sufficient documentation. Trynoski, a political science major, affirms that students may face some difficulty voting. “A lot of (students) don’t know that you have to update your address if where you lived last year is not in the county you reside in,” he said. “Students who live on campus without a mailbox who are registered in their home county may face difficulties attempting to cast an absentee ballot. The Center for Civic Engagement is working with UTSA to resolve this issue; however, we still advise that if you live on campus, you get registered in Bexar County.” Overall, this seems to be the general consensus amongst those who recognize voter ID laws as a barrier for student voters. The one-month voter registration deadline is also a concern for Trynoski,
Graphic by Tristan Ipock who felt same-day registration or a deadline twoweeks before Election Day might be conducive tothe lifestyles and circumstances of college students. The last day to register to vote in Texas is Oct. 11, 2016. Rowdy Vote and the SGA will both continue to register campus voters up through that date. According to Trynoski, the SGA collaborated with The San Antonio Higher Education Representative Assembly (SAHERA) to get NVRD “implemented by the SGA of every accredited higher education institution in San Antonio.” For individuals like Martinez and Trynoski, the bigger picture of their work envisions a future where campus voters become civic actors and agents of political efficacy. For Gillen, a unified goal might create a unified voice
students can listen to and understand. “I think part of the reason voter turnout is so low among our generation is that college students who aren’t heavily invested in politics associate voting and elections with rhetoric and bickering,” he said. “Hopefully that can change.”
For more information on National Voter Registration Day or Texas elections, you can visit: The NVRD website at: nationalvoterregistrationday.org/ The Texas Secretary of State website at: www.sos. state.tx.us/elections/
College of Business offers business cards to its students
New Food Truck ‘Curbside’ debuts at UTSA Amanda Marmurek Staff Writer
@ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com
Chili’s. “I liked it better when the truck was by the Business Building though,” said Betri. “It’s closer to all of the buses.” However, civil engineering junior Alexis Castillo disagrees. “I like the truck in front of Chili’s,” she said, “because it’s easier to find.” Castillo ate the street tacos last week and said they were very good. The Rowdy Curbside food truck is in front of the North Paseo Building on Mondays and Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is also in front of
Chili’s on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m . Students can also keep track of the truck by following them on Twitter
Ethan Pham, The Paisano
@UTSADining.
The Rowdy “Curbside” food truck is the new streetfood star here at UTSA. The idea for the food truck was started by the university. With the help of catering director Alberto Herrera, it became a reality. Students can now get gourmet food right outside of their classrooms. Last week, the food truck’s menu was Tex-Mex themed. Nicole Chi, a freshman business major, said her street tacos were spectacular and that she would definitely eat them again. This week, the menu is “Big Cheesy”—a variety of grilled cheeses. Isabella Ethan Pham, The Paisano Betri, a junior psychology major, tried the classic grilled cheese combo, which includes a plain grilled cheese, tomato basil soup and a drink for $6, from this week’s menu. She described her meal as really good and liked that she could use a Meal Trade to pay for it. The food truck has three other menu themes, crazy dogs, Southern and The new Rowdy food truck “Curbside” offers a weekly rotating food menu. Ethan Pham, The Paisano sliders, which will be featured over the next three weeks. There are ECK Wisdom on Inner Guidance six to eight entrees per Free Discussion Series – Includes booklet menu with two sides and a combo deal. The price Weekly Thursday night meetings Sept. 1 to Nov. 17 varies per menu, with items 7:00–8:30 pm , UC 2.01.30 (Magnolia Room) ranging from $1 to $7. With this booklet, discover how to: ● listen to the Voice of God; Diners can pay with Meal ● attune to your true self; ● work with an inner guide; Trades, Dining Dollars, ● benefit from dreams; ● ignite your creativity to solve problems. Rowdy Dollars, cash or credit. Info: Mitziani: rbo233@my.utsa.edu Justin: 832-244-6502 The truck’s two locations www.Eckankar-Texas.org are by the North Paseo Sponsored by the Eckankar Student Organization Building and in front of the
Jordan Easley Staff Writer
@ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com UTSA’s College of Business is offering a service that allows students to print professional business cards. This printing service has run for a little over three years, according to Mr. Julio Ramos, the director of student services for the College of Business. The idea for this service, as described by Ramos, actually stemmed from student demand. “Students would occasionally come in and say, ‘do y’all have business cards, or do y’all have any suggestions of where I should go for business cards?’” explained Ramos. So instead of sending them to a third-party vendor, the department brainstormed and came up with the idea to offer the printing service themselves. The College of Business provides this service through the same offcampus printer that prints most of the business cards for university staff. The cards ordered by students have the same style, format and even logo as cards endorsed by the university. The purpose of the cards is to give students an opportunity to set themselves apart with a more “professional approach,” according to Ramos. “When you go to events, when you go to a career fair, when you
simply want to give out your contact information to anybody.” Having personalized business cards helps create a distinct identity in employers’ minds. The printing service has two restrictions: a fixed number of cards (250 cards at 10 cents per card), and the service is only available to students with business majors. “Our center works exclusively with business students,” explained Ramos, “our mission is to provide services to business students.” Everything comes down to budget, as Ramos later clarified. “We don’t anticipate being able to fill orders beyond business students. Resource-wise, we just wouldn’t have the ability to manage that.” Mr. Ramos does encourage non-business major students interested in business cards to use other printing services. “If they’re not a business student, the option would be to simply go with an outside vendor and just try to create a design that looks professional.” So for now, the business card printing service is available only to business students at UTSA. “If other colleges wanted to provide this service,” concluded Ramos, “obviously that’s up to them.”
NEWS
3
September 27- October 4, 2016
Madison Chilton
Staff Writer
@ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com During the 2014-2015 school year, 52 percent of UTSA freshmen financed their tuition and fees expenses with some form of student loan. The cumulative amount of money loaned out to those freshmen totalled $15,208,979. This means that 2,554 out of the 4,949 freshmen who entered UTSA that year will have to addresss the obligation to repay student debt. Current Freshman pre-nursing major Taylor Jones said, “It’s hard to get into nursing school, me knowing that I have to pay back money,” she said. “I’m just hoping I can start my career to be able to pay it off.” In 2016, outstanding student debt ballooned to a record-breaking national total of 1.3 trillion dollars divided among 43 million students. At the same time, default rates and trends of loan payment delinquency continued to increase. The Department of Education began tracking “cohort defaults” in 2009 and
retroactively found that from 2007 to 2011 the trend of defaults increased on average (across all loan types, public and private) from 6.7 percent to 10 percent. The most recent data does not break with the trend of defaults on student loans. In 2015, the New
that Wisconsin senator Tammy Baldwin (D) introduced the In The Red (Reducing Education Debt) Act of 2016 (Senate Bill S.2677). This legislation would allow students with outstanding loans to refinance them at lower interest rates and would increase the value and
of Education estimates that for each of these students, the passage of the RED Act would mean $1,896 in savings—a total of 24.2 million for the 40 million indebted students nationwide. Many UTSA students understand the need for student debt relief. “I saw
“ The cumulative amount of money loaned out to freshmen during the 2014-2015 school year totalled $15,208,979. This means that 2,554 out of the 4,949 freshmen who entered UTSA that year will have to address the obligation to repay student debt...” York Federal Reserve issued a report on household debt and credit which indicated that the current percentage of delinquency is 11.6 percent. It’s against this backdrop
awarding of Pell grants, as well as offer incentives to states that make two years of community college free for student’s who demonstrate financial need. The U.S. Department
my mom struggle,” said freshman communications major Rebecca Hernandez, explaining her plan to become an attorney. “She was a single mom. It was hard, and I knew I
wanted to be in something that would help her and me. I don’t want to have my children under the same struggle that I went through.” Senator Baldwin strives to alleviate the difficulties spoken about in stories like Hernandez’s. “We need to get to the issue of the cost of college and higher education,” said Senator Baldwin. “(The RED Act) would go a long way in at least helping people believe higher education is a possibility at a time when too many young people see others deeply in debt and say, ‘It’s not for me.’” Whether the RED Act will pass Congress depends on Senate Democrats convincing Republicans of the legislation’s merits. As of right now, the bill has support exclusively among Democrats. Although the In The Red Act of 2016 hasn’t been voted on yet, a previous version of the student loan refinancing legislation was voted on in 2015. Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz voted against it. In 2014, when In The
Red Act cosponser Senator Elizabeth Warren asked for unanimous consent to vote on the bill, Senator Cornyn was the one to object to the vote, effectively shutting down any chance the bill had for passage at that time. In 2016, the In the Red Act is in committee, and Senator Baldwin is fighting for the legislation again. “I will continue my focus on this issue and make it a top priority of mine because higher education should be a path to the middle class, not a path to indebtedness,” she said. Hernandez agreed with that if interest rates decrease, people might have the incentive to go to school and it “won’t be so bad in the end.” The In the Red Act is currently being examined by senators in the Committee on Finance. To stay up-to-date on the bill’s progress, follow #IntheRED on social media.
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OPINION The Paisano Editor in Chief: Caroline Traylor Managing Editor: Brady Phelps News Editor: Alex Birnel Arts & Life Editor: Annette Barraza
Say goodbye to bi erasure The bisexual flag was designed by Michael Page in 1998. Pink represents homosexuality, blue represents heterosexuality and the purple represents an attraction to both sexes (bisexuality). The purple is important because it represents the seamless blending of homo and heterosexuality .
commentary
Sports Editor: Anthony Suniga Web Editor: Ricardo Rodriguez Photography Editor: Ethan Pham Magazine Editor: Jade Cuevas News Assistants: Gaige Davila, Adriene Goodwin Arts & Life Assistant: Raquel E. Alonzo
Managing Assistant: Justice Lovin Magazine Assistant: Raquel Simon Calderon Senior Copy Editor: Katelyn Wilkinson Business Manager: Will Stransky Marketing Director Social Media Coordinator: Kesley Smith
Advertising Marketing Liaison:
Ethan Pham
@Ethan_Bethan There is a saying that everyone knows at least one gay person, but chances are you know two bisexuals for every gay person you know. This past week was Bisexuality Awareness Week, a week of celebrating culture and raising awareness about bisexuality and everything that pertains to our shared commonality. Bisexuality Awareness Week was recognized from Sept. 19-26 and centered
around “Celebrate Bisexuality Day,” which is celebrated annually on Sept. 23. The bisexual community is an amazing group of people, but this doesn’t disregard the fact that bisexuals endure a host of problems that come from both our straight and gay counterparts which is often rooted in “bi-erasure,” or the elimination of bisexuality as a legitimate sexuality. Bi-erasure makes it difficult to address the challenges bisexuals face, which is alarming because out of the people who identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, over half report identifying as bi. Lack of recognition leads to a multitude of severe issues that affect bisexuals across the board. Constant demands to “prove” our sexuality not only make being openly bi more difficult, but also create a culture that does not comprehend the human
capacity to love a person regardless of gender. Reports conducted by the Bisexual Resource Center (BRC), BiNet USA, Human Rights Campaign Foundation, Movement Advancement Project (MAP) and other LGBT organizations found that bisexuals face a disproportionately high number of disadvantages compared to our homosexual counterparts. Bisexuality has been poorly represented in society by both mainstream and LGBT cultures. This can leave bisexuals feeling outcasted and alone in our identities, which can lead to more severe mental -health issues that are often disregarded because of bi erasure. Because of tribulations most bisexuals endure in our lifetimes, we are more likely to keep our sexuality hidden from important people in our lives such as family and friends. A
We don't really remember the Alamo editorial
Each year, 2.5 million people visit the landmark where - according to its website and reiterSTAFF ated by Texas history teachers across the state’s schools - “men Ashlee Morales, Raquel Simon Calderon, Casey Luna, made the ultimate sacrifice for Christopher Breakell, Chris freedom” making the site “halHerbert, Aidan Watsonlowed ground and the Shrine of Morris, Anelia GomezTexas Liberty.” Cordova, Isaac Serna, The National Historical Benjamin Shirani Landmark, located in the heart of downtown San Antonio, is a PHOTO TEAM symbol of Texas’ independent, self-reliant and rugged spirit. Tristan Ipock, David Guel, Texan students are taught that Benjamin Shirani our state was forged out of a MARKETING TEAM heroic struggle, waged by defendSam Patel, Kesley Smith, ers of the Alamo against the cruel Catherine Adams, Stephanie and oppressive Mexican dictator, Valdez, Valery Assad, Antonio Santa Anna. Ramirez As the Alamo’s defenders prepared to sacrifice their lives, another group of Texans were at CONTRIBUTORS a constitutional convention; here, Jessica Jiminez, Danielle Throneberry, Patrick Martinez, they stated their objectives and dreams for the new republic they Josh Zollicoffer, Frankie Leal, hoped to create. Jordan Easley, Abby Sharp Section 9 of the General ProviADVISOR sions of the Constitution of Texas Diane Abdo addressed the greatest qualm fighters for the Texas Revolution ADVISORY BOARD had living under Mexican rule. Steven Kellman, Jack It stated: “All persons of color Himelblau, Sandy Norman, who were slaves for life previous Stefanie Arias, Diane Abdo, to their emigration to Texas, and Red Madden who are now held in bondage, The Paisano is published by the Paisano Educational Trust, a non-profit, tax exempt, shall remain in the like state of educational organization. The Paisano is operated by members of the Student servitude ... Congress shall pass Newspaper Association, a registered no laws to prohibit emigrants student organization. The Paisano is NOT sponsored, financed or endorsed by UTSA. from bringing their slaves into New issues are published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters, the republic with them, and holdexcluding holidays and exam periods. The Paisano is distributed on all three UTSA ing them by the same tenure by campuses — Main, Downtown and the which such slaves were held in Institute of Texan Cultures. Additionally, Paisano publications are distributed at a the United States; nor shall convariety of off-campus locations, including Tri-point and a variety of apartment gress have power to emancipate complexes near the UTSA Main Campus. slaves.” All revenues are generated through advertising and donations. Advertising Mexico abolished slavery in inquiries and donations should be directed to: 14526 Roadrunner Way 1829, and as the demand for cotSuite 101 ton soared, the legality of slavery San Antonio, TX 78249 Phone: (210)-690-9301 was volatile. This panicked sla© 2016, The Paisano veowners in the Lone Star state. The University of Texas at San Antonio's A central goal of the Texas Handbook of Operating Procedures states in 5.03 that: Revolution was to remove that The University of Texas at San Antonio uncertainty. Mexican armies (UTSA) will not exercise control fighting against the rebellion were over the format or content of Student Publications, but will regulate distribu- given explicit orders to free any tion on campus. Student Publications slaves that they encountered. will be free of censorship and advance approval of copy, and their editors In fact, the only person spared at and managers are solely responsible the Battle of the Alamo was Joe, for editorial and content policies and decisions. Editors and managers of the personal slave of William B. Student Publications will not be subject Travis. to arbitrary suspension/expulsion or After Texas gained indepenremoval from their positions within a Registered or Sponsored Student dence from Mexico and estabOrganization (Student Organization) lished itself as its own republic, by the University because of student, faculty, administrative, or public disapthe state’s slave population proval of editorial policy or content. doubled between 1836-1840. Student Organizations that distribute Student Publications are afforded the Texas high schoolers and even same rights and privileges as Student college students are taught the Organizations that do not distribute myth that the Battle of the Alamo Student Publications. was one for freedom. The opposite is true; the Alamo
Jenelle Duff
5
September 27 - October 4, 2016
(and the Texas Revolution) was fought to uphold and protect slavery. Students aren’t taught the truth about the origins of our state (and nation). Instead of facts, we hear epic myths, and instead of history, we learn nationalism. Why do textbook publishers, school board members and professors choose to gloss over atrocities, choosing instead to romanticize a “battle for freedom." The truth hurts, but if we cannot be honest with ourselves about the reality of our history and origins, we risk repeating mistakes of the past. As recent as 2015, a textbook taught in Texas’ Social Studies classes to 9th graders described slaves as “workers.” The book, published by McGraw Hill, stated “The Atlantic Slave Trade between the 1500s and 1800s brought millions of workers from Africa to the southern United States to work on agricultural plantations.” Who benefits from misleading statements like these? No one. The self-congratulatory nature of Texas and U.S. history classes creates a less educated and less empathetic student body. German students are required to visit a concentration camp in order to graduate. The idea is that when students face the crimes against humanity that their country committed, they’ll have a greater appreciation for equality and dignity and will be less likely to repeat the same horrors. A certain presidential candidate has coined the slogan and promised to “Make America Great Again.” But exactly when was America great and for whom? Black Americans who were denied equal treatment under Jim Crow? Women denied property rights and suffrage? LGBTQ Americans unable to marry who they love simply because of their sex or gender? This country was not always great for Americans who weren’t straight, white, landowning men, but it’s getting better. We’ve made impressive strides toward equality, progress and human rights. Educators should tell the truth about the past to commit to a better future, one that we can be proud of. So, remember the Alamo, but for what it really was: a battle for slavery, not freedom. Students can handle the truth and will be better for it.
Human Rights Campaign report found that bisexuals are more likely to fall victim to drug abuse/experimentation, mental health, mood disorder, self-harm and suicidal tendencies. A MAP report found that bisexuals are also more likely to have reported being sexually assaulted (46 percent of bisexual women have experienced rape and 47 percent of bisexual men have experienced sexual violence/assault), myself included. The same report found that bisexuals also tend to get sexually assaulted earlier on and at younger ages, between the ages of 11-24. These serious issues are often overshadowed by the stigmas and stereotypes that come with the bisexual label. Our lack of acceptance is hurtful to our identities and further isolates bisexuals. We are constantly labeled as promiscuous people
confused about our identities, and accused of just taking advantage of heterosexual privilege. Bisexual men are supposedly not allowed to be bisexual and are just gay men in hiding. Bisexual women are often objectified as straight men’s sexual lesbian fantasy. These ignorant generalizations only add on to our already mountainous pile of problems; bisexuals are simply people who are attracted to, and can love, people across the gender spectrum. Bisexuality Awareness Week is a great week to dedicate to bisexual visibility, but we need more than a week of recognition to begin tackling the challenges we face. A step in the right direction is to accept bisexuality as a distinctive sexuality and learn more about bisexuality as a sexuality. For more information, visit GLAAD. org/reference/bisexual.
Photo Poll
How important is Hispanic Heritage month to you? Nylah Junior anthropology major "Not important. I am Hispanic all year long."
Jason Junior mathematics major "I think it's important to be a diverse campus, to have different cultures represented."
Sierra Freshman business management major "I would say (it's) pretty important for me; I am Hispanic. Basically, my mom's entire family is from Mexico. My mom was born here, but then she lived in Mexico for the first six years of her life. My dad's parents too; they lived in Mexico. I like hearing other people's stories."
Taiwo Senior technical communication major "I'm not Hispanic, but it's a pretty big deal here. It helps us to be diverse, it helps a lot."
Max Freshman computer science major "I'm Mexican myself. I think it's pretty important. I live in Texas; it's a pretty mixed state. You have to be familiar with Mexican heritage."
Photos and interviews by Benjamin Shirani
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September 27 - October 4, 2016
OPINION
Oh, the Humanities! Column
Adrienne Goodwin @hey_adreezy
Friends, readers, Roadrunners, lend me your ears (eyes?). Something is rotten in the states of America. The 2016 presidential election has been more underwhelming than “Suicide Squad” but, unfortunately, cluttered with as many cartoonish, cringe-worthy players and tiresome representations of women and minorities. The result has been a resurgence of media references to William Shakespeare’s politically infused
HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY?
plays; analogies that attempt to answer questions and demystify the mess we seem to be immersed in. When faced with tragedy, we oftentimes turn to literature as a source of escape or explanation. The Clinton/Trump election has brought us back to the Bard. As this week brings the first presidential debate of the season, let us cross our fingers this election can qualify as a Comedy rather than Tragedy. Alas, as theater critic Charles McNulty writes, “The comedies, which I naturally turned to first, failed to supply a figure who combines Trump’s peculiar combination of arrogance and unpreparedness, pugilistic vehemence and showman’s pandering. The histories provide the richest trove of Shakespeare’s political thought, but there’s no . . . equivalent to the Donald.” Which leaves us in the realm of tragic drama and everything going to utter shite before the curtain falls. With Trump and Clinton tied at 46 percent among all registered voters (according to a new Wash-
ington Post-ABC News poll), it sometimes feels like all we plebeians can do is simply… watch. “Julius Caesar” best addresses the quagmire that has been Trump’s ascent into the political arena. The Rome of the play could be today’s Washington D.C., a metropolitan that feels the ever-increasing tension between patricians and plebeians rumbling outside alabaster columns. With rising distrust of the “elite” and the “status quo,” frustration and concern have given way to zeal and paranoia. Mob mentality incites fist fights at Trump rallies and refuses compromise from the Bernie-or-Bust camp. When we don’t know what to believe, we’ll believe anything, and that leads to manipulation of the masses. In “Julius Caesar,” the scene that makes the most compelling case as an allegory for today is just after Caesar’s assassination by the hand of BFFL, Brutus. The people know what’s up, and the people are pissed. Stoic Brutus provides a strong, succinct explanation behind his actions.
It’s all for democracy! Acceptance of this explanation lasts about as long as T. Swift and Loki’s love life. Enter, Marc Antony. A faux eulogy serves as a rhetorical dagger, and soon the people are driven into a chaotic frenzy away from Brutus by their own willingness to follow anybody blindly. Antony tells the people he’s “no orator, as Brutus is,” just “a plain blunt man.” He’s the kind of guy one might want to have a beer with. Because that’s what matters most, right? When Trump is able to get away with things like saying, “I love the poorly educated” and outright lie that Clinton originated the birther controversy, we know we have a Marc Antony. What’s harder to pinpoint is when the frenzy began, and how we allowed ourselves to create a tragedy even Shakespeare would wince at. In 1992, NBC reporter Katie Couric asked then-First Lady Hillary Clinton to comment on comparisons made between her and Lady Macbeth. Clinton’s image has been forever plagued by the notion that an
ambitious, intelligent woman who could very well go toe-to-toe with a man, is not to be trusted. Because she’s probably a murderous wench. But we’ll save that analysis as a post-debate follow-up for next week’s column. We’re fortunate to have a Shakespeare play being performed at UTSA this week if one needs an interesting frame of reference for our political doldrums. "Richard III” will be performed by Actors from the London Stage in the Recital Hall on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday (Sept. 28, 30, and October 1), all at 7:30 according to the UTSA English department. With that said, gird your loins for more presidential debate coverage and remember, “Woe to that land that’s govern’d by a child!” For some election-related Shakespeare humor, be sure to read The New Yorker’s “Donald Trump Performs Shakespeare’s Soliloquies” by Aryeh CohenWade. “And on and on with the whips and the scorns of time and the contumely and the fardels and the blah blah blah.”
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Study drugs: a market that's hard to swallow Commentary
Isaac Serna
@ThePaisano As the job market becomes ever more daunting, competition in the classroom has reached new heights. Students are utilizing an array of resources to better their academic performance: traditional options like group study, databases and SI sessions as well as developing options like educational apps and “smart drugs.”
Coined as “smart drugs” or “study aids,” Adderall, Dexedrine, Vyvanse and other ADHD medications have established themselves in the academic realm. Their abuse is often treated with less concern than other drugs because, in prescribed cases, the drug is legal and helpful. Obtaining study aids is simple. Many students are prescribed the medication, and, though limited, refills are generally covered by health insurance. Thus, the benefit of sharing with friends or selling to classmates outweigh the cost. The risk of legal repercussions ought to be calculated, despite the relaxed view people have toward controlled substances compared to illegal ones.
Justifying use with suggestions that one probably has ADHD or that one’s intentions are good shouldn’t be a factor when deliberating the issue of law. Students report mixed reactions to the drug, but the overwhelming result is increased mental focus and productivity. Personal experiences are unique, and adverse effects are difficult to foresee. Increased focus has its price. Creativity is hampered when the mind is unable to stray away. Though more productive on Adderall, those who value creativity may want to think twice before using it. Realizing an idea and putting an idea in action are two different tasks. ADHD medication is an amphetamine-based
drug, therefore it also offers a sense of euphoria. The abuse for the high have been so widespread that non-amphetamine medications, like Strattera, have been released to quell concerns of addiction sweeping the nation. The initial purpose of these drugs is clear: treat ADHD symptoms such as concentration problems, forgetfulness, hyperactivity and an inability to finish tasks. However because the symptoms of the disorder are common, some experts claim that anyone would fit at least two of the criteria. Texas neuroscientist Dr. Bruce Perry questioned the ADHD diagnosis further with his infamous claim that ADHD is “best known as a description” and that the disorder isn’t a real disease.
Those who have yet to be diagnosed with ADHD can often receive a prescription from a local doctor or psychiatrist with only their word (sometimes researched in advance) to back up their case because there is no standardized clinical test to diagnose the disorder. Depending on one’s perspective, the accessibility and effect of ADHD medication may be exciting or alarming. Quick fixes have their allure, but the possibility of abuse or addiction concerns others. The pharmaceutical industry’s reputation is in decline. Namely, the price of medication and the disproportion of funds going toward advertising rather than research have contributed to the shift in public opinion.
Better research can comfort those concerned about the quality of their medication, but the issue of “study aids” won’t be put to rest by safer products. When it comes down to it, any prescription drug will have risks, no matter how safe it is. When deciding to use a “study aid,” weigh the benefit of its effect against the side-effects expected. Along with the sideeffects, one must weigh the best possible result achieved from the “study aids” against the cases of reliance and addiction other students have experienced. Quick fixes require careful examination, and a look into the long-term can be sobering.
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ARTS & LIFE
September 27 - October 4, 2016
David Rubin’s (left) work is pictured in the center from his exhibit titled “Visions II.” D. Clarke Evans’ work is pictured on the right and is from the exhibit: “Photographic Projects: World War II Veterans & U.S. Marines.”
Photos courtesy of Fotoseptiembre USA
Fotoseptiembre USA: San Antonio’s homegrown photo festival Danielle Throneberry Staff Writer
@ThePaisano arts@paisano-online.com Since 1995, Fotoseptiembre has showcased the best local and international photographers in San Antonio. The 2016 festival is curated exceptionally and contains the perfect balance of revived city pride and appreciation for other unique, influential photography artists. The September festival prides itself especially on its community-based style and values that are not specifically thematic, although participants seem to naturally form a common motif each year. Curated exhibitions constitute the majority of the festival; however, competitive exhibitions such as those by the Texas
Photographic Society are a refreshing and welcomed addition. Fotoseptiembre director Michael Mehl, is a prominent photographer as well as the curator of the festival. I had the pleasure of visiting several different exhibits; however, there were a few that stuck out. The first was an exhibit by San Antonio native David Rubin titled “Visions II,” which was on display from Sept. 8-11. I met Rubin the day after his highly successful opening reception at Joseph’s, an upscale menswear retailer. Part-time photography teacher and full-time dad, the well-rounded photographer informed me that he was a participant in Fotoseptiembre in 2015 and had a “huge response,” which prompted him to participate this year. He said, “Mehl does a great
job of having interesting photographers organize and promote the festival.” The second exhibition that caught my eye was titled Making Fact And Fiction. The exhibit was curated by Libby Rowe and Scott Sherer and is located in UTSA’s Main Campus Art Gallery. The exhibit is on display until Friday, Sept. 30. The exhibit features Texas artists Tami Bone, Shelley Calton and Polly Chandler. In addition, the exhibit showcases both Troy Colby living in Kansas and Tytia Habing living in Illinois. The display is primarily based on narrative photography meant to convey stories that encourage the viewer to form their own interpretations and conclusions. The show follows regular art gallery hours and is free and open to the public.
Lastly, I was very impressed with photographer D. Clarke Evans’ “Photographic Projects: World War II Veterans & U.S. Marines,” located at the University of the Incarnate Word in the Semmes Gallery at the Kelso Art Center. The exhibit follows the Semmes Gallery’s regular hours, is free and open to the public and is on display until Sept. 30. Evans’ exhibit centers around honoring veterans, but also portraying life after service to provide insight into their daily lives. “Evans’ work shows viewers that it takes a special kind of person to earn the title of marine and that these people put their all into serving our country and into their daily lives,” said UTSA junior Antonio Lopez. What makes Evans’ photography style unique
is that he interviews each individual in the photos and ensures that his photographs capture the esscence of each subject. Alongside exhibitions and events throughout the city, there are a number of web galleries that present the very talented work of several different photographers on the Fotoseptiembre website. One of my favorites is Frank Herfort’s “Time In Between,” curated by Mehl. Herfort is native to Leipzig, Germany, and has spent a lot of time in Russia examining daily life there, on which his art is primarily focused. “Time In Between” is focused on the concept of “everlasting waiting,” in which time is permanently frozen or still. The exhibit is meant to convey a multifaceted interpretation of the modern Russian
lifestyle. You can access Fotoseptiembre web galleries on the festival’s official website at fotoseptiembreusa.com. Other exhibits definitely worth visiting: “Kick It Old School” Freight Gallery & Studios Sept. 10 - Oct. 1 Viewing hours: Tues. - Sat., Noon - 5 p.m. “Borderland” Cinnabar Art Gallery Aug. 25 - Oct. 9 Viewing hours: Wed. - Sun., Noon - 6 p.m. “Graciela Iturbide: A Lens to See” Ruiz-Healy Art Gallery Sept. 8 - Oct. 15 Viewing hours: Tues. - Sat., 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. and by appointment
Actors From the London Stage bring Shakespeare to UTSA Casey Luna Staff Writer
@ThePaisano arts@paisano-online.com Since 1988, the UTSA Friends of Shakespeare and the Department of English have brought actors every year to perform Shakespeare for UTSA students and the San Antonio community. This year, The Actors From The London Stage, an international touring group comprised of actors who have performed with world renowned theatre groups like the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Bristol Old Vic, will perform Richard III. While the production will be relatively small, using
only minimalist set designs and costumes and having its five actors play multiple roles, the organization hopes to spark an interest in theatre and Shakespeare as well as provide hands-on experience within UTSA classrooms. Dr. Kimberly Fonzo, an English professor and one of the organizers of the event, believes the performance will be a gateway for students to experience the works of William Shakespeare. She hopes that the live performance will help students navigate the anxieties they may have when reading older texts. “I think that students sometimes get scared off by Shakespeare’s language,” explained Fonzo, “and when
you see these performers having this confidence in performing the language and performing the parts, you see that it’s about the motivation of the characters. It’s not just about the words on the page; it’s about a living, breathing person that has their own desires, and that’s what the actors are delivering. I think when you see that, you see the difficulty melts away and it becomes about the play.” Fonzo said this type of experience enriches students’ imaginations and sparks an interest in experiencing and even performing theatre. “Plays are special; they aren’t like movies or television,” said Fonzo. “They are their own experience as a live performance. It’s much
more about the moment that can’t be recreated, because a movie—you can watch a film over and over, and it’s always the same— but theatre is different every time.” The theatre troupe consists of four women and one man. “I loved the idea of more parts being available for women because it’s a very male-dominated industry even now--same in the movies--so it feels like a very important thing to do and is very satisfying,” said Alice Haig, the actress portraying Lady Anne in addition to many other characters. For students concerned about the predominately female cast portrayal of
Richard III, Haig reassures everyone, students will forget all about gender when they become immersed in the story. But the actors will not just perform on stage, they will also go into classrooms and interact with the students, teaching them how to perform and interpret the text into life. “What we come into the classrooms and do is work on Shakespeare in practice,” described Haig. “We get everybody on their feet, books and desks get pushed to the side, and we engage people’s voices and their bodies. That’s the way to experience Shakespeare best, is to feel the grounded physicality and your voice being heard for the first time.”
Haig believes that this type of interaction will further motivate students to experience theatre. “The best way to experience Shakespeare is to see it and experience it and watch it in performance,” Haig continued. “Reading plays isn’t what’s supposed to happen; they’re supposed to be heard and watched.” Richard III will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28; Thursday, Sept. 29 and Saturday, Oct. 1 in the Arts Building Recital Hall on UTSA’s main campus. Tickets are $18 for general admission or $10 with a student ID. Tickets can be purchased at colfa.utsa.edu/ english, or at the door by cash or check.
ACTORS FROM THE LONDON STAGE FALL TOUR 2016
by William Shakespeare
Wednesday, September 28 Friday, September 30 Saturday, October 1 All performances at 7.30 p.m.
Recital Halls - Arts Building
Tickets available at the Door or Online at colfa.utsa.edu/english/shakespeare.html
The University of Texas at San Antonio Design and artwork: www.imaginedesignassociates.com
Sponsored by The UTSA Friends of Shakespeare, The UTSA English Department, and The Russell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts
ARTS & LIFE Arts & Life Events Calendar:
10 Años de Fotohistorias: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month an Esperanza exhibit Raqel Simon-Calderon Staff Writer @ThePaisano arts@paisano-online.com
Punk Rock Karaoke Friday 9/30 The Korova A live band plays the song, you sing it. Have a night to be the punk rock star you really are. Price is $15.
10/1 8 p.m. Band of Heathens & The Watters Sam’s Burger Joint Enjoy these Austinbased folks’ rock n’ roll and Americana music while eating a delicious burger. Price is $12.
9/30-10/2 Helotes Hot Air Balloon Glow Cornyval Fair Grounds in Helotes, TX Come and experience three days of fun for the entire family. There will be arts & crafts, food, music, balloon glow show and tethered rides!
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September 27 - October 4, 2016
Patrick Martniez, The Paisano
Patrick Martinez Staff Writer
@ThePaisano arts@paisano-online.com San Antonio has a beautiful and rich culture that surrounds the city and keeps locals here and entices many from around the world to stay. There are a lot of neighborhoods in San Antonio, both historic and new. The West side of San Antonio is rich with Hispanic (mainly Mexican) art in murals, festivals and more. Just driving down Guadalupe Street, you can see all the murals and historic pictures of San Antonio’s west side from the 1800s to 1950. Just north of downtown (922 San Pedro Ave) lies an exhibit at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center at San Antonio College. “This exhibit honors and preserves the people, cultures and traditions of old west-side
San Antonio,” explained Jessica Gonzales, cultural art programmer at Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. “The name of this project is En Aquellos Tiempos, or ‘of those times’, and this is the ten-year anniversary. And most of these photographs have never been seen except to those who donated and their families.” It’s been ten years since En Aquellos Tiempos was created, and a walk-through of this exhibit is a blast to the past. Complete with food, drinks and Tejano music, it’s easy to get lost in the time warp of decades-old photographs. The exhibit runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday until Sept. 30 at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. Visit and come face-to-face with the historic West side and its people.
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the U.S. from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15; it is when we recognize and celebrate the culture, heritage and contributions of Hispanics and Latino Americans to the United States. UTSA’s Hispanic student community encompasses more than half of the student population. Celebration of the culture of such an important and substantial population of our university is expected and appreciated; this will be the time when students, faculty and staff unite to celebrate Hispanic heritage. Included is a table of events that will take place in the next couple of weeks at UTSA. Attend, support “y a celebrar!”
Graphic By: Raquel Simon-Calderon
Music, poetry and art through Word of Mouth
Music Dept. faculty performs for students Ryan Thompson Contributing Writer
Casey Luna, The Paisano
@ThePaisano arts@paisano-online.com
UTSA’s Music Department is in the midst of its 2016 Faculty Artist Recital Series, designed to give students the opportunity to enjoy performances by faculty in the UTSA Recital Hall. The series kicked off on Monday, Sept. 12 with the violin recital titled “Majoring in Minor” featuring Mary Ellen Goree. Accompanied on piano by Robert Brewer, Goree performed pieces by Mozart, Bach, Georg Philipp Telemann, Fritz Kreisler and Johannes Brahms. Dr. Patty Fagan Miller performed a bassoon recital on Monday, Sept. 19 with accompaniment by Amy Pikler on recorder and Brewer on harpsichord in Vivaldi’s “Sonata in A minor”; Rita Linard on flute in “Songs and Dances” by Bill Douglas and pieces by Schumann and Camille Saint-Saens accompanied on piano by Brewer. Baritone Scott Flanagan performed in the first vocal recital of the Faculty Artist Series on Tuesday, Sept. 20 with an evening of British songs by composers Purcell, Butterworth, Britten and Finzi. Flanagan sung in English with Rita Linard accompanying on piccolo and Brewer on piano. Scott Flanagan teaches voice and vocal techniques for instrumentalists. He has been a professor at UTSA for four years, returning to his alma mater even though he is a native Louisianan. He prides himself on being passionate, sincere, charismatic and full of positive energy. He began singing at age five in children’s choir, and his passion has grown throughout the years. He once aspired to be a country singer before deciding on the next best thing:
Courtesy of UTSA Department of Music
Planets Visited With Maxwell.” The Eleven include musicians Morgan King, Richard Oppenheim and Rene Saenz on saxophones and flute; Adrian Ruiz on trumpet and flugelhorn; Chris Villanueva, Aaron Prado and Brett Cline on piano and keyboards; Jacqueline Sotelo on vocals; Andrew Bergmann on electric and upright bass; and Joe Caploe, John Fernandez and Mike Mixtacki on drums and percussion. On Tuesday, Oct. 18, Dr. Susan Olson will cap off the series by performing a solo vocal recital featuring works from musical theater and contemporary composers, and conducting an audience participation on Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”
hop, the event had a constant mix of music from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. The night started off with the groovy guitar licks of alternative band the Barbaloots. Up next, PeanutGallery shook the audience with their hiphop infused melodic pop instrumentals. Donella Drive rocked the house with their aggressive sound and the powerful voice of Ella Macias. There was a surprise set at the end of the night by the indie pop rock quartet, Great Shapes, to kick off their multistate tour. The soulful voice of the Josh Glenn Experiment was the highlight of the night. With only an acoustic guitar, Josh Glenn simulated the richness of a full band by using loopers, creating a rich psychedelic sound. Outside on the club patio, poetry and visual art dominated. Art ranging from aesthetic vaporwave-
influenced paintings to pop art of superheroes and musicians hung from the walls; almost all of the artwork sold for only a few dollars. Poets climbed onto the tables and recited their works to the crowd. The poetry highlighted what makes San Antonio, our people and experiences special. There were love poems about Lonestar beer, Hispanic culture and escaping stereotypes, pan dulce and tortillas. The Word of Mouth was organized by Ezra Hurd. Inspired by his father Don Hurd, the owner of the DIY venue Imagine Books and Records, Ezra Hurd set out to follow in his father’s footsteps. He created the event with one simple goal: to bring local artists together and create awareness of the different scenes to a larger audience. “My intention was simply to highlight the people I know [who] are in all of the scenes. Some brand-new poets and some well-read ones. Some fresh artists and some wellwounded ones. Some up-andcoming musicians and those [who] have been around for years,” said Hurd. Hurd has started to plan the next event, which he hopes to be in December. He wishes to add even more different kinds of art to the event, such as dance and film, to constantly keep the event fresh for people. The next event may even take place at an outdoor venue. In whatever form the next Word of Mouth event takes, make sure to check it out and support local art and music.
becoming a professor at UTSA. This practically begged the question “are you an artist ARTS & LIFE first, or a professor?” COLUMN “A professor first” he said. “But I have developed Casey Luna into an artist.” Staff Writer Flanagan the artist and @ThePaisano Flanagan the professor are arts@paisano-online.com not so different. He aims to incorporate into his perThe sounds of San Antonio forming the same positive filled Limelight on Sept. 23 as energy and charisma he the Word of Mouth kicked off exudes in his teaching. Flaits first event. nagan believes that every Bringing together a artist has a journey, and he completely unique mixture of is headed to his peak with old and new artists from San no anticipation of slowing Antonio, the event showcased down anytime soon. San Antonio culture from “Performing is for the multiple genres of music, slam performer–you have to poetry and local art vendors. have fun and do it for yourInside the club, music was self,” said Flanagan. at full volume. With a lineup You can also catch ranging from indie rock to hip Flanagan performing his Butterworth Cycle on a live radio broadcast on Friday, Nov. 11, and at a music conference at UTSA on March 7. On Sunday, Sept. 25, flutist Dr. Rita Linard and soprano Professor Linda Poetschke collaborated on a recital titled “Folk Music from Around the World” with Anna Hakobyan on piano. Dr. Kasandra Keeling performed a solo piano recital consisting of compositions by Mozart, Granados, Liszt, Ginastera and Muczynskion on Monday, Sept. 26. The series continues with the Faculty Chamber Ensemble recital on Tuesday, Oct. 4. Andrew Bergmann and Eleven will You will work directly with children to offer a more stable and nurturing perform a brand-new piece composed by environment. Please call Janet, 210-340-8077, ext. 1112 for more information. Bergmann titled ”Five and a Half Among the
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Even after crackdown, concussions still plague the NFL NFL COMMENTARY Frankie Leal Staff Writer @panchitoleal05 sports@paisano-online.com Every Sunday with every drive and every snap, NFL players put their physical health on the line and sacrifice their bodies for one thing: the win. Hitting is part of what makes the game exciting. The resounding crack of a helmet meeting shoulder pads that echoes throughout the whole stadium sending the entire crowd into a series of both cheers and cringes is part of the beauty of football. Although it’s exciting, there are few things more dangerous than taking a hit to the head from an NFL defensive player running at full speed. In recent years, the NFL has begun “cracking down” on helmet-to-helmet tackling, targeting and roughing the passer calls in an effort to protect quarterbacks and other offensive players from head injuries. However, it still seems that players are suffering from concussions left and right, and the million dollar question remains: is the NFL doing enough to protect its athletes?
Of course, realistically, you can never completely eliminate head injuries from football. Helmet to helmet contact happens at the line of scrimmage on every play. But still, why is the number of concussions increasing instead of diminishing? A whopping 271 diagnosed concussions were reported in the 2015 season around the NFL, which is quite a significant rise from the 206 reported in 2014. You would think, based on the new focus on protecting players and the ban on helmetto-helmet hits beginning in 2013, the number would decrease, but this is not the case. We all remember 2013 and the $765 million dollar settlement the NFL dealt to over 4,500 ex-players who sued the leagues because they claimed the NFL knowingly concealed the medical dangers of concus-
sions and rushed players back on the field too soon after sustaining head injuries. CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) is a degenerative brain disease similar to Alzheimer’s, primarily caused by repeated
head trauma. It’s no coincidence that CTE has been found in the brains of a staggering 90 out of 94 deceased NFL players (famed linebacker Junior Seau being one of them).
But as CTE can only be completely seen in the brain tissue after death, it is difficult to diagnose. Still, doctors believe a good number of living, former players such as Walter Payton and Tony Dorsett suffer from the disease. After years of denying the medical evidence, the NFL finally admitted a link be-
tween CTE and football as of April 2016. As recent medical advancements shed light on the issue and in order to make sure players do not
return to the game until it’s safe, all players must now go through a complex concussion protocol if there is any suspicion they may have sustained a concussion. Still, some coaches do not report the concussions in the hopes of keeping their best players out on the field for more plays and even risk getting disciplined and fined by the league just for the one win. Many fans believe that the new rules the NFL implemented to protect players is making the league “soft.”
Graphic by Tristan Ipock
place, but players’ safety must be addressed. When you look at the big picture, football doesn’t last forever. Players usually are out of the league by age 35-38, leaving them the rest of their lives to do other things. As fans, we tend to be selfish. Players getting injured produces excitement, and it is almost like the players we are watching are not real people but rather pawns or game pieces used for our own entertainment. But when you look at players such as legendary running back Tony Dorsett (now 62 and struggling with signs of CTE) who has said he can’t drive his school-age daughters to soccer practice without forgetting where he’s going or that he has constant thoughts of ending his own life, it’s definitely scary. And he’s not the only one. Former famous athletes are people too, and they deserve a fulfilling life long after hanging up their cleats. The long term effects of concussions in the NFL are devastating, and it’s something much bigger than the game of football.
Fans love to see brutal, crushing hits, and it’s a big part of the reason people watch football in the first
NFL’s business ethics leave players in bad positions NFL COMMENTARY Jessica Salinas Contributing Writer @PaisanoSports1 sports@paisano-online.com American society places a high value on professional sports. Professional sports and athletes create revenue, stimulate mass interest, inspire cities, create jobs and are a form of entertainment for millions of fans nationally and internationally. Watching football on television is an American pastime; families and friends gather around and tune in every week to watch their favorite teams and players play football. Yes, football can be entertaining to watch, but what about the things people don’t see on TV? The National Football League (NFL) is, first and foremost, a corporation. The NFL has never been a morally ethical entity in the treatment of their players. Because while many players benefit from the system, many more have been taken advantage of by it. According to Forbes, the average National Football League (NFL) player makes $1.9 million a year. This is pocket change compared to NFL Commissioner
Roger Goodell’s compensation–$35 million in 2014. Goodell’s salary is $3.2 million, and the rest of his compensation comes via bonuses from all 32 NFL owners. If athletes are the working class of the sports industry, then their owners and sponsors are the capitalist class. The owners and sponsors live off the profits they obtain by exploiting athletes whilst reinvesting some of their profits for further wealth accumulation. The average career of an NFL player is 3.3 years. After football, many players experience financial hardship, especially if they don’t have other possible career alternatives. According to Sports Illustrated, 78 percent of ex-NFL players are bankrupt or in serious financial difficulties within two years of leaving the NFL. For these reasons, colleges emphasize that players should take their education seriously and earn degrees. The NFL and NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) force players to spend three years in college with disregard to the detrimental possibilities these years may have on the professional and personal welfare of those players. Players risk injuries that
Retired NFL players’ funds according to Sports Illustrated
threaten to destroy potentially lucrative careers. This system works for both organizations; the NFL doesn’t have to create a league to train young and talented players and the NCAA gets to sell player merchandise and keep the profits. The system does not work for the players because money is being made off their talent before the system decides they are
Average Salaries by Occupation
1.9 MM
53,800
65,270
44,293
70,650
400,000
3.2
ready to play professionally. It is important to acknowledge how difficult it is to become a professional NFL player. Players can only play for so long due to the physical strain the sport puts on their bodies. Men train their entire adolescence and teenage years for a chance at the NFL – only 1.6 percent of college football players get a shot at the professional level. It is great that these men have a passion that will take them far if they make it. MM But these athletes earn way too much money. Public service workers —teachers, police officers, doctors, firefighters and soldiers— are the backbone of society. They contribute to the good of society as a whole and should earn more money than any professional athlete does. The average teacher’s salary is $53,800. Teachers spend their own money
on classroom supplies and instructional materials. According to the Horace Mann Educator Advisory Panel Survey, 30 percent of teachers spend $201-$400 out of pocket to fund classroom projects or purchase supplies. Every teacher is ensures the educational advancement of our society. Teachers help shape the minds of the future. They make less money than they should earn. The armed forces sacrifice their lives to protect our country. Soldiers leave their families for prolonged periods of time without a guarantee they will come home safely. Deployed soldiers risk their lives every time they enter a warzone – the same can be said for police officers, firefighters and emergency responders. Doctors and physicians save the lives of countless people, and they spend years paying off the debt accrued from medical school. Let us not forget the salary of the most important job in the entire world. The president of the United
States’ salary is $400,000 – nothing compared to the average NFL player. The wage gap between the two careers is unfathomable. While not negating the amount of difficulties professional sports players face, American society places too much of an importance on these sports. There is something lacking in a society where an athlete gets paid millions of dollars to play a game, while football owners and sponsors swim in the profits made off of player merchandise and revenue. When it comes down it, the professional sports industry is just supply and demand. As long as there is a demand from the American people, as long they continue to let the NFL corporation swim around in millions of dollars, the professional sports industry will continue to thrive despite all its problems and mistreatment of players.
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September 27 - October 4, 2016
SPORTS
Embracing eSports: a new generation of sports Ashlee Morales Staff Writer @ashleeemegan
sports@paisano-online.com Electronic Sports, also known as eSports, have gained a lot of momentum within the past few years, and the growth of professional gaming does not show any signs of slowing down. Earlier this month, Complexity Gaming announced the launch of North America’s Professional eSports Association. For the North American gaming community, this announcement was exciting. For those unfamiliar with eSports, the term encompasses a variety of video games that are played competitively at a professional level. Participation in and spectatorship of competi-
tive gaming began increasing in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Like other sports, there are different levels of competition including amateur, collegiate and professional. As the popularity of eSports continues to grow in North America, some popular athletes have recently become investors in the industry. In March, TMZ reported on Shaquille O’Neal and Alex Rodriguez’s respective investments into NRG eSports. The two mega-stars joined former MLB player Jimmy Rollins as investors and advisors for the company, which has teams that compete in seven different games including Counter Strike: Global Offensive and League of Legends. eSports already has a large following in other countries, most prominent-
Students often gather together in the Tejas lounge to play and discuss eSports.
ly South Korea. There, the biggest eSports players are celebrities. In a 2014 New York Times article, Paul Mozur described eSports as a South Korean national pastime. In his article, Mozur described groups of people meeting at Internet cafes (known in S. Korea as PC bangs) and watching each other play League of Legends, cheering and yelling during matches. “The prowess of the country’s eSports players is a point of national pride,” Mozur explained. While professional gaming is the focus of eSports, it is still a relatively new concept in mainstream sports culture, and there is some controversy in labeling professional gaming a sport. There are many arguments both for and against
Ethan Pham, The Paisano
Two students face off for a grand prize in a Super Smash Bros. tournament.
the label, but the most notable argument came from ESPN President John Skipper when he said eSports was “not a sport—(they’re) a competition.” Skipper is not alone in
Ethan Pham, The Paisano
his opinion of professional gaming; many people do not consider it a sport because of the lack of physical demand. On the other hand, many traditional professional athletes have come to the defense of professional gaming. NBA player Gordan Hayward, who plays League of Legends, said “(Professional gamers are) professionals in every sense of the word, and that means that they’re training eight to 10 hours a day. It just so happens that their training doesn’t require them to lift weights or run around.” Its status as a sport has not been a concern for many investors who have been eager to get involved in this growing market. This summer, TBS debuted ELeague, a live gaming tournament in Counter Strike: Global Offensive. The tournament, which had a $1.2 million prize pool, ran for 10 weeks via online streaming and cable broadcasts.
Although the cable broadcasts aired Friday nights at 9 p.m. CST and often ran for more than two hours, the tournament managed to average over half a million views, not to mention the millions who watched online throughout the week. With technology constantly progressing, it is no surprise that professional gaming has become such a popular pastime. Viewership of games and tournaments is steadily increasing, and, although eSports spectatorship isn’t in the same ballpark as football or basketball, if recent investments are any indicator, eSports is well on its way. For a firsthand eSports experience, you can watch the League of Legends World Championship on Twitch.tv which begins Sept. 29 or check out UTSA’s on campus eSports group.
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